Richard Howly

Richard Howly (* 1740 in Liberty County, Georgia, † December 1784 in Savannah, Georgia ) was an American politician and governor of Georgia.

Curriculum vitae

Howly enjoyed an academic education, and then studied law. After qualifying as a lawyer, he opened a law office in St. John's. At the same time he also worked as a rice planter. Located in the Revolutionary War, he moved to St. Paul, also in Georgia. Since 1779, he was politically active. Until 1783 he was a deputy in the Parliament of Georgia and 1780 he was in a politically tense situation for a short time governor of Georgia. He replaced George Walton. At that time Georgia was partially occupied by the British and in the unoccupied part of the country ruled the chaos. Loyalists and patriots fought as fiercely as two rival groups within the patriots. His term of office should be very short, because he was sent soon after the election to the Continental Congress. George Wells was to be his successor, but this was later shot by the Governor James Jackson in a duel. So Stephen Heard became the new governor. Howly was from 1780 to 1781 Member of the Continental Congress, shortly after he was again working as a lawyer. He had his last public position from 1782 to 1783 as Chief Justice of the State of Georgia. He died in December 1784th